


Take A Chance On Me

by wittynametbd



Series: Gods, Heroes, and Losers [3]
Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: ANYWAY I hope you enjoy!, Eurydice's back bitches, I love her, M/M, Not as much as Orpheus but it is what it is, sometimes you need a bit of fluff between the angst, welcome to the fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-09 11:42:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20852858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wittynametbd/pseuds/wittynametbd
Summary: Their relationship wasn’t perfect—no relationship ever was.But it was theirs. Something wonderful that they made together.It was comfortable. Safe.And so fucking normal.But, even so, Eddie couldn’t help but worry about what taking this next step could mean.-OR-If you're proposing and I'm proposing, who's flying the plane?





	1. Gonna Do My Very Best

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently I can't stay away from this fic for too long otherwise I get super sad about the movie so HERE WE ARE. Shout-out to Andy Muscheitti, who hurt me so much with It Chapter 2 that I've essentially written 50,000 words in less than a month. What wild times we live in. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy the interlude!!! 4 chapters of fun are here to lull you into a false sense of comfort and safety until we get back into the adventure proper (Mike is up next! Any guesses as to what his myth is going to be?!?)!
> 
> As always, thank you for reading <3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eddie's on a mission...

Eddie paced back and forth, running his hands through his hair. He shouldn’t have been nervous, but this was one of the few times since he’d been brought back from the dead that he’d _voluntarily_ spent time away from Richie. 

And, like, Eddie could _totally_ do it. Be alone, that was. Even when he was married to Myra, he felt alone most of the time. It wasn’t anything new. Only, he wasn’t supposed to be alone. 

His moral support was running late. 

“Eddie!” Eurydice said, running up to him. “Sorry, I got a little turned around.”

She was wearing a dark green sundress that complimented her golden-brown skin. It went down to about her knees, although the back was a bit longer than the front. A wide-brimmed straw hat sat on top of her head, not doing much to contain her long, black hair. It spilled onto her shoulders like ink. She pulled her sunglasses down, meeting his gaze.

Eddie was thrown for a moment. Here, in the daylight, she looked just like any other person in LA. 

Well, except for the combat books. Those were Eurydice all the way. 

“It’s okay,” he said, smiling at her. “You’re here now.”

Excitement burned in her dark brown eyes. “I am. And I can’t believe that you asked me to help! Do you know how hard it’s been to not tell Orpheus that you’re—”

“Shhhh!” Eddie said, putting his hand up. “You never know who’s listening.”

Eurydice’s eyes widened, a serious expression spreading across her face. “Right. We should go inside.”

Eddie nodded, holding the door open for her. “After you,” he said. The door knocked into a bell that was sitting above it. It _dinged_, and Eddie looked around once more, making sure no one was paying attention to where he was going. 

“So much intrigue,” Eurydice said, winking at him before she walked into the shop. “I love it.”

He didn’t like being this secretive. In fact, he hated it. He was awful at it. 

Eddie had almost fucked it all up when Richie asked him what he’d be up to while Richie was taking a few meetings around town. He’d come so close to telling Richie where he’d be, and then he panicked at almost fucking it up, so he gave Richie a kiss goodbye and then bolted out of their apartment. 

He had to text Richie afterward and tell him that things were fine—he just really needed to go on a walk and clear his head. 

Eddie knew that Richie didn’t like being apart either, but they’d set up a system to communicate when they needed space. And they both knew that space wasn’t a bad thing. It was healthy to have time apart, even if they hated it. But they’d already had so many discussions about their future, and they were both in it for the long-haul, so they knew that time apart was—and would continue to be—a natural aspect of their relationship. 

Not that their commitment to each other wasn’t obvious already. Eddie was only back in the Land of the Living because Richie was badass enough to get him out of the Underworld. 

To Eddie, there was no bigger gesture that said, “I love you, dumbass, and I always will,” than taking Hades up on his bargain and then _winning_.

And Eddie was determined to show Richie that he loved him just as much. And he was so gods-damned excited to do it. 

Eddie Kaspbrak was going to propose to Richie Tozier.

But first, he needed the right ring. 

He needed something that would represent how they’d always be there for each other, no matter what. Just like they had been when they were kids. And that was how they should’ve been, for the last twenty-seven (well, twenty-nine, now) years, if it hadn’t been for that fucking clown—

“Can I help you?” a voice asked from behind the counter. 

Eddie jumped. 

Eurydice stuck her hand out, grabbing onto his arm. Warmth spread through Eddie’s body, calming his nerves. 

He gave Eurydice a small smile, then cleared his throat, looking at the antique shop employee. “Yeah. Uh… I’m looking for a ring. Well, a set of rings.”

The employee—whose nametag read Karla—glanced at Eurydice’s hand on Eddie’s arm. 

“Oh, no!” Eddie said, laughing. “The ring isn’t for her. I mean… she’s got a boyfriend. It’s just not me.”

Eurydice sighed. “I’ve been waiting for thousands of years for him to ask me, and he hasn’t yet.”

Karla nodded. “Sounds about right.”

Eddie wiped away at the beads of sweat that had already started forming on his forehead. He shouldn’t be this damn nervous. He was Eddie _Freaking_ Spaghetti, for crying out loud. 

And yet, in the middle of this shop, he wanted nothing more than to sink into the floor. He loved Richie. And he knew there was no way in hell Richie was gonna say no. They’d been through so much together—they meant too much to each other—for the whole thing to fall apart just because Eddie proposed. 

But his sham of a first marriage still hung over his head sometimes. He knew that what he and Richie had wasn’t anything like the awful thing he and Myra maintained for years. Before… _well_, before that trip to Derry that literally killed him, he always felt like something was missing. Like he was searching for something. And now that Richie was back in his life, he’d finally figured out what it was.

He felt whole for the first time in his life.

Well, lives.

Their relationship wasn’t perfect—no relationship ever was. 

But it was theirs. Something wonderful that they made together.

It was comfortable. Safe. 

And so fucking normal.

But, even so, Eddie couldn’t help but worry about what taking this next step could mean.

Was he moving too fast? They’d only been dating for a couple of months. But they were living together. Had the cutest fucking dog ever. And, more to the point, they’d spent their whole lives waiting for the chance to be together. 

_To be happy_. 

What if he fucked it all up with this proposal? Would they still be happy when they added an extra label to how complicated their feelings—their _lives_—were? 

“Eddie?” Eurydice said, squeezing his arm. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Eddie said, taking a deep, steadying breath. “Yeah. Just a little tense,” he punctuated it with a bit of nervous laughter. 

_Real smooth, Eds_, he thought, clenching his jaw. _Get it together_. 

“So, you need a ring?” Karla asked, squinting at Eddie. 

“Yes. Yeah. If you’ve got any,” he said, taking a step toward the counter. 

Before he died, Richie told Eddie that he was braver than he thought he was. And, most days, he believed him. There were definitely some days where it was easier to believe him than others. 

Today was not one of them. 

Eurydice squeezed his arm again, smiling at him. 

Eddie cleared his throat. Right. He could do this. “I’m… I’m looking for a set of rings. Ones that were well loved.”

Warmth rushed to his face as he spoke. He was blushing furiously. It was a weird mix of nerves and how foolish he felt. He’d come to this shop with a purpose. 

A mission. 

He didn’t want new rings. He wanted rings that’d been through a lifetime together. Rings that’d stayed with each other, through thick and thin. 

Rings that would never forget the people—or the stories—they were tied to. 

But, most of all, he wanted rings that had seen so much goddamn happiness that it was unbearable. He wanted to know it was possible.

He needed to know it was possible for him and Richie to be happy for as long as they both lived.

And he knew it was a long shot. But Eurydice had felt certain that this place was where he’d find what he was looking for, and Eddie trusted her judgment. They’d been through hell and back together, after all. 

“We do,” Karla said, snapping Eddie out of his thoughts. “I’ve got just that.” She slid the panel behind the counter open, taking a ring out and placing it on the glass in front of him. “This one’s been here for a long time. Belonged to a couple. They were high school sweethearts back in the 40s? 50s? Married for… oh, probably sixty years or so. Lived a good life, too. But then everything fell apart when the big financial crash in ’08 happened.”

Eddie picked the ring up, examining it as Karla continued. “One of ‘em decided to pawn off the ring in order to make ends meet. Went to my uncle’s shop, up the street. He gave ‘em more than it was worth, just to make sure they didn’t sell the other ring.”

“What happened to them?” Eddie asked. “The couple?”

“They died a few years after that. Each of them in their sleep, one a few days after the other. My uncle always checked in on ‘em. Hired them for a bit, when he could afford to. And he always offered to sell them back their ring, but the one who sold it was a stubborn sonofabitch. Said that sometimes sacrifices had to happen for love. Figured the next person who got the ring would understand that.”

The ring was so simple, but something about it seemed so right. The band was made of copper and there was a design engraved along the bottom outside edge. 

Eddie held it a bit closer to figure out what it was, squinting. Eurydice slid a large magnifying glass toward him, and he placed it under there for a better look. 

“Leaves?” he asked, looking up at Karla. “Why leaves?”

“One of ‘em loved Fall, and the other loved Spring. Leaves seemed to be a common factor. And easy enough to put on there without drawing a lot of attention.”

Eddie had come in here looking for a set, but the longer he held onto this ring, the more he knew it was perfect for Richie. 

Richie had always been so sure about them. He’d risked _everything_ to bring Eddie back from the Underworld. 

And before that—well. 

Richie lived his whole life knowing how he felt about Eddie. He hadn’t given up his memories, even when it’d been too painful to hold onto them. He was the only reason Eddie had managed to stay in Derry, when they all reunited. 

Richie believed in Eddie even when he had no reason to. 

And then Richie had to watch Eddie die. He was dragged out of the crumbling house, kicking and screaming, trying to fight his way back to where Eddie’s body was. 

Richie spent two years holding himself together. Eddie had no idea how he’d done it—but not because he thought Richie was weak. Richie had always been so strong. So brave.

So _good_. 

Eddie had no idea how Richie managed to pull himself together as much as he had, because Eddie knew he wouldn’t have been able to do it if their roles had been reversed. 

He didn’t like to think about it. But there were days when the thoughts crept in. The doubts.

The fears. 

After all, Richie had almost died in Theseus’s maze. Eddie hadn’t fallen apart because he’d figured out a way to save him, and he knew he had to help Ariadne and Bev kill Theseus. 

But there was a moment when Richie held the spear that was lodged in his chest where Eddie almost crumbled. He hadn’t been brought back to life just to watch Richie die, but he was so scared it was going to happen.

And Eddie knew that if Richie died that day, then the rest of the world might as well have, too. His friends would be there for him, like they were for Richie. But nothing would matter.

Eddie would’ve been alive. But he wouldn’t have existed. Not if Richie had died.

But that didn’t happen. Richie was alive. And meeting with producers about his next comedy special. He was even writing his own jokes, for once. 

And Eddie was letting his fears get the better of him. He’d meant what he said to Jen in that maze—_fuck fear_. They deserved happiness. 

And he was determined to fight to keep it that way, every moment, of every day. 

Eurydice placed her hand on Eddie’s. He’d been squeezing the ring.

He sighed, placing the ring back on the glass counter. 

“How’d it end up here?” Eurydice asked. “If it was in your uncle’s pawn shop?”

“He wasn’t able to sell it,” Karla replied. “After they died, he held onto their rings for a few years. But then he got sick, and my cousin took over his shop. He didn’t want to hold onto it—didn’t think it would ever sell—so I offered to take it from him.”

“Why?” Eddie asked. 

Karla shrugged. “Call it a hunch. Or call me a fool for believing in all of it like my uncle did, but… I really _did_ think the right person would find it when it was time.” She paused, meeting his gaze. “You want something that knows what it means to love—the happiness, heartbreak, sacrifice, and joy that comes with it? There’s no better ring in the world.”

Eddie looked at it. “Do you know where the other one is?”

Karla shook her head. “Probably buried with ‘em. My uncle only ever had the one.”

Eddie had spent most of his life in a state of indecision. He’d had trouble trusting his own judgement because of how his mother and Myra manipulated him. 

But they were out of his life now, and he’d been slowly learning how to trust himself. Especially when it came to Richie. 

He knew this was the right ring. There was no use in waiting and trying to shop around. 

He was terrified of what this next step might mean. But he was also ready to face that fear.

Richie would be by his side the whole time.

And that’s all that mattered. 

“I’ll take it,” he said, meeting Karla’s gaze. He was smiling so hard that it kind of hurt after a while, but he didn’t care. 

Eurydice fist pumped. “He’s gonna love it!”

Karla smiled. “I can’t wait to tell my uncle that he was right! And to rub it in my cousin’s face. That smug bastard.”

“I’ll take good care of it,” Eddie said. “Thank you.”

“I’m sure you will,” Karla replied. “And no, thank _you_. Been waiting to get my cousin back for… well… that’s a story for another time.”

Eurydice smiled. “I’m sure we’ll be back soon to hear it.”

“You’d better be,” Karla said. “And good luck with that proposal.”

“Thank you,” Eddie said, shaking her hand. “I’ll let you know how it goes.”

Eddie paid Karla. The bell _dinged_ as they left the shop. Eddie didn’t jump this time. 

Instead, he confidently strode through the door. 

“Hey, Eurydice?” he asked, as they made their way to a nearby diner. 

“Hmm?”

“How’d you know that ring would be there?”

She looked up at him, smiling. “I can’t give away _all_ of my secrets, can I?”

Eddie laughed. “I guess not.” 

He supposed that intrigue was the price he had to pay for being friends with an Immortal. But he wouldn’t have it any other way. 

He opened the diner’s front door for her, and she winked at him. 

“So,” Eurydice said, after they’d placed their orders. “How are you gonna propose?”

Eddie paused for a moment, taking a long sip of his milkshake. “I might need your help with that.”

Mischief danced behind her eyes. “I don’t care what it is. I’m already in.”

Eddie held his milkshake glass up and waited for Eurydice to do the same. 

“Cheers,” Eddie said, “To two dumbasses, trying to figure out this fucked-up world.”

“Together,” Eurydice said.

“Together,” Eddie replied. 

They _clinked_ their glasses together and spent the rest of the afternoon plotting.


	2. And It Ain't No Lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Richie takes his last meeting of the day...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was my reward after adding over 2K to my book. So, like, I'm being productive, everything's okay, shhhhhh....

Richie spent most of his day pitching his new comedy special to industry exec after industry exec. After a while, all the suits started to look the same, and he lost track of whether he was at HBO or Netflix. 

He was meeting with people who had the potential to give him a lot of money—and who could help him revive the career that he’d let lapse for two years. It should’ve been a big deal.

But it really hadn’t been. 

Pitch meetings were all muscle memory at this point. He was surprised that he could remember it so easily, but it didn’t really take up too much energy or brainpower to get through.

He hadn’t been nervous at all. 

But now, as he waited for his final meeting of the day to start, Richie began pacing. He was standing at the end of the Santa Monica Pier, walking around in an endless loop while sweat started to bead on his forehead. He wasn’t sure if it was because the sun was bright in a cloudless sky (even for LA, it was unseasonably warm in March), or that he wouldn’t stop moving, or because he was about to do something that could change his life in a big way. 

Maybe it was all three. 

Of course, he wouldn’t _be_ this nervous if the person he was meeting actually showed up on time. 

Musicians. Couldn’t trust them to be fucking punctual. 

But he also couldn’t propose without one, so—

“Before we begin,” Orpheus said, his voice a smooth melody drifting in on the seabreeze. “I need to know that you won’t punch me.”

Richie rolled his eyes. “You’re fifteen minutes late. I’m still considering it.”

“Can’t rush perfection,” Orpheus replied. 

“You know what? I changed my mind. I don’t need your help—” Richie started to walk away, but Orpheus grabbed his arm. His touch was just as cold as it had been the night they met in The Bar None.

The night that started this whole gods-damned ordeal. 

And, like, Richie was grateful for everything that’d happened since. Other than the billion times he cried in the Underworld, or that time he got speared in the chest by a fake-ass Greek hero. He could even deal with Orpheus’s oddly specific love of Cher and ABBA songs, because he’d gotten Eddie back. 

All he ever wanted was a chance to be happy. And he was.

_Finally_.

It’d only taken 42 fucking years, two battles between the Losers and that fucking clown, Eddie dying, lots of therapy, and way too much karaoke in order for that to happen.

Eddie was here. 

He was safe, and alive, and whole. 

All of his friends were. 

Well... except for Stan.

Richie knew he couldn’t bring him back the same way he did with Eddie, but… _gods_, he wished Stan could be around for this. It was bad enough when Stan and Eddie hadn’t been there for Ben and Bev’s wedding. Now, if everything went the way it was supposed to, Richie and Eddie would be planning their own wedding soon. 

And the only Loser missing would be Stan. He wouldn’t get to roll his eyes at any of it. 

Richie sighed. He knew how dangerous it was to hold onto something impossible. It’d worked out for him once, but in the two years that he was left alone to mourn Eddie, he hadn’t cared about his life at all. 

He didn’t feel like he had anything to live for, if he was being perfectly honest. But something, somewhere, didn’t give up. It kept him going. Waiting, searching, and just… _existing_ until he found whatever it was he was supposed to find. 

Of course, he had no idea that the tall Immortal musician in front of him (who was _definitely_ hotter than Ben, sorry, Bev), would find _him_. But, he did, and then everything changed.

For the first time in a long time, something _changed_. 

He wondered if the same thing could happen again. They’d changed things before. Maybe they could find a way to change things for Stan. He just had to figure out how—

“I won’t be late again,” Orpheus said, pulling Richie away from his thoughts. “Now, tell me what you had in mind.”

Richie hesitated for a moment. He hadn’t called Orpheus to hatch an escape plan for his lost friend, though the thought was tempting. But he knew that Orpheus only dealt in very specific kinds of Underworld rescues. As much as Richie hated to admit it, the god he _really_ had to ask was Hades. 

And he would, the next time he got the chance. But, in the meantime, he had something else he needed to work out. 

Richie Tozier was going to propose to Eddie Kaspbrak. And it was gonna be _fucking awesome_. 

“You’d better not be,” Richie said, clearing his throat. “If you show up late to my proposal, I’m telling Eurydice. If she finds out that you fucked it all up—”

“Okay,” Orpheus said, holding his hands up in surrender. “I get it, I get it. I’m sorry. I really am.”

He met Richie’s gaze, and Richie knew that he was sincere. Even if his eyes were still the same shocking, bright yellow that they’d been when they first met at karaoke. Richie’s heart always beat a little too quickly whenever he looked in them. They were too much like that fucking clown. 

Richie snorted. Orpheus was a different kind of clown. Not one that would plague Richie and his friends with their fears and traumas, but a clown, nonetheless.

“Thank you,” Richie said, reaching over and patting him on the shoulder. It was an awkward gesture that Richie regretted immediately but couldn’t take back. 

So, he decided to lean into the discomfort and make everything worse. He had a lot of feelings. No use in holding them back anymore. 

“Wha—” Orpheus barely had time to get out before Richie pulled him into a hug. 

“I just… really appreciate you, man. You helped me change my life.”

“Ah,” Orpheus said, patting him on the back while Richie held onto him. “I didn’t do much. Just brought you to the people who could give you a chance. But _you_ were the one who changed your life, Richard Trashmouth Tozier. Even when you were filled with doubt, you didn’t turn around. You were able to bring your love back, and mine. And for that, I owe you a great debt.”

Richie hadn’t really expected Orpheus to get sentimental. He blinked furiously, trying to get rid of the tears that were welling in his eyes. 

Orpheus let go of him and fished a handkerchief out of his suit pocket. Richie held his hand out for it, but Orpheus dabbed at his own eyes instead. 

“Well,” Richie said, wiping away at his tears with his hands. “Look at us. We’re kind of a mess.”

“I think kind of is an understatement,” Orpheus said, a small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. “But we’re trying. I think that’s the important thing.”

Richie nodded. He wasn’t really sure how he could describe his life before he brought Eddie back from the dead. He didn’t think he was _trying_ to do anything then, other than just existing. 

He’d been in the world, but not a part of it. There were some days where he felt like a living ghost. 

He’d asked his therapist, once, if that sounded dramatic. She asked him if he thought it was before she replied. He said that it didn’t _feel_ dramatic. It was just… kind of how things were. 

It was like he was going through life, witnessing everyone else live it. And even though he wanted to try—even though he wanted to join them—he couldn’t bring himself to do it. It was like the whole world was rendered in full color and he was just a dull gray blob in the corner of the picture. Or a speck of dust that managed to drift into the frame. 

He was there, but he wasn’t terribly important. 

And his therapist told him, just like she always had, that grief and loss impact everyone differently. Whatever Richie was feeling was true to his experiences—and, since he was mourning something so complicated, there were bound to be days where Richie’s grief made him feel foolish. 

He knew he wasn’t wrong for feeling any of it. After all, when Eddie died, Richie lost his best friend, and the life they could’ve had together. Well, the _lives_. If they’d just lived in a normal, not-fucked up town, things could’ve gone differently. They could’ve had _time_. And being so close to that—to having everything he ever wanted—only to watch it all be taken away had been too much.

But that was then. 

Now, Richie had all the time he needed. 

Richie gestured to a small cart that he’d passed along the way to the end of pier. “Ice cream? I can’t plot on a non-sugar-filled stomach.” 

Orpheus chuckled. “Lead the way.”

“Also, you know Trashmouth isn’t my _actual_ middle name, right?”

“Could’ve fooled me. You mortals have come up with some strange names for your offspring recently. Who names their child Apple?”

“Oh, gods, don’t even get me started on her,” Richie said, as they stood in line for ice cream. They were easily the two tallest people there. Richie didn’t mind—he had a clear view of the menu. “I met her once,” Richie continued, as he skimmed the flavors, “and she told me I wasn’t even funny. So, then I told her that she was a—”

“Let’s change the subject before you get us in trouble,” Orpheus said, nodding to the small children in front of them. 

“Oh, fuck, you’re right—”

“Richie!” Orpheus snapped, as the kids’ parents started to turn around. 

“My bad, my bad. Sorry…uh… folks. Pay no attention to the tall men behind you.” He paused, winking at Orpheus, “Though, to be fair, you _are_ in a public place and I’m sure they’ve heard worse at home—”

“Beep beep, Richie,” Orpheus said, through a series of coughs. He turned to the parents, who’d started to move their kids away from them. “I apologize for my friend,” his said, and even though he wasn’t singing, his voice sounded like familiar tune. “He’s terribly happy at the moment. It totally disintegrates whatever was left of his filter.”

“Of course I’m fucking happy!” Richie said, smiling. “I’m gonna propose to my best friend!”

Orpheus let out a long exhale. Through his nostrils. He was starting to get the same expression that The Scary Lady had when Richie did his super awesome British accent. 

Ariadne warmed to his charms eventually. He was sure the same could be said for Orpheus. 

Orpheus gave the parents a small bow. “We’ll find ice cream somewhere else. Let’s go,” he said, dragging Richie away. He waved at the kids, who giggled. 

“See?” Richie said, as their laughter died down. “The kids thought I was funny! And was I hallucinating, or did you ‘Beep beep Richie’ me back there?”

Orpheus groaned. “Yes, I Beep beep’d you. We will never speak of it again.”

“Maybe _you_ won’t,” Richie said, “but once all this is over I’m telling _everyone_ that Orpheus and his perfectly in-tune voice totally Beep beep’d me.” 

Eddie, in particular, was _absolutely_ going to lose his shit at that. 

“Your _engagement_,” Orpheus said, artfully trying to change the subject as they worked their way to the front of the pier. “Are we actually going to talk about it? Or are you going to keep stalling?”

“Stalling?” Richie asked, nervous laughter bubbling in his throat. “Who’s stalling?”

“_You_,” Orpheus said, matter-of-factly. “Why’s that?”

The words were out of Richie’s mouth before he could stop them. “We’re in a really good place right now. What if… this goes sideways? What if proposing scares him away?”

Richie knew that it was a ridiculous fear. He’d had so many conversations with Eddie about it already. They both knew where they were heading, and they agreed on it.

But when Richie was rescuing Eddie from the Underworld, Richie had wondered what would’ve happened if he’d tracked Eddie down before they met back up in Derry. He’d hoped Eddie hadn’t let go of his memories, just like Richie had held onto his. And there were times when he was so close to reaching out—to seeing if Eddie knew who he was.

But then Eddie told him that if Richie had found him before they went back to Derry, that he would’ve run away. That he wasn’t ready to face his feelings. 

And that Eddie wouldn’t have gone back to Derry if he knew Richie was going to be there. 

There were days when that conversation just sat in the front of his mind, screaming at him. And then he’d wonder if things would’ve been better that way. If he could’ve saved Eddie’s life by scaring him away from going back to their hometown. 

But then Richie and the rest of the Losers would’ve died. And Eddie… well. He would’ve been alive, but he wouldn’t really have been living. 

Richie didn’t believe in fate. But he _did_ believe that, for the most part, people tried to do their best to deal with the shitty situations they’d been given. 

In the time between that last trip to Derry and his journey to the Underworld, his best hadn’t been that great. Now, he was determined to do better. 

But there was still that small bit of doubt—that _fear_—that Eddie would be out the door as soon as Richie proposed. That he’d finally realize he made a mistake. 

And he’d confirm what Richie knew all along: that he wasn’t worth loving. 

His parents spent his whole life pretending he didn’t exist. And they were supposed to love him. 

Eddie wasn’t required to. And Richie wouldn’t want him to be. Richie knew that he loved Eddie with everything he had—and he’d keep loving him, even if he broke his heart. 

Not that he wanted Eddie to break his heart. And most of him _knew_ that Eddie wouldn’t. 

But the closer they got to the day, the louder that small voice in the back of his mind became. 

“Richie,” Orpheus said, waving a hand in front of his face, “you still in there?”

“What? Yeah, yeah, um… I’m still here,” Richie replied, laughing nervously. “Sorry, just got a little stuck in my head.”

“Never a good thing.”

“Not at all.”

“Here,” Orpheus said, handing him an ice cream cone. 

Richie hadn’t even noticed that he’d bought them. “Thanks,” he said, weakly. 

“For what it’s worth, I think he’ll say yes.”

“I think he will, too,” Richie replied. “But I just… can’t help but worry…”

“You can’t plan for things you can’t control,” Orpheus said. “There’s no use in making a catastrophe out of something that hasn’t happened yet. _Especially_ if the thing is going to have a happy ending. You _both_ passed Hades' test that day. That's not nothing.”

“You sound like my therapist,” Richie said. “She tells me shit like that all the time. Not the Underworld part. The 'freaking out about imaginary shit hitting the fan' part.”

“And she’s right. I know it, and you do, too. If he says no, you’ll figure it out. The world won’t end.”

Richie nodded. The world wouldn’t end, but his might. Though it wouldn’t be anything new. 

Richie’s hand brushed the pocket on the inside of his jacket. He’d been walking around with the ring for weeks in order to make sure Eddie couldn’t find it. But he’d had the ring much longer than that. 

After Eddie died, and Richie spent months crashing on his friends’ couches, and many more months in therapy, and going to karaoke night after karaoke night, he found the ring. He couldn’t remember how he’d gotten it in the first place, but it was silver, and it had leaves etched into it. And he knew when he saw it that, if Eddie had been alive, this was the ring he would’ve given him. 

On his worst days, he’d put the ring on. It was a bit small for him, but he managed, somehow. He’d walk around, a ghost in the world, wearing a ring that symbolized the future he was never going to have, but the one he would’ve traded anything for. 

And what was he doing now, if not the same thing? Shrinking back into himself, planning for worst-case scenarios like they were the only outcome. Turning back into that ghost that haunted everyone else’s lives but was never really there. 

It didn’t have to be that way anymore. And it hadn’t been, for the last couple of months. 

Eddie was _alive_ and his future was _right there_ and all he had to do was ask his best friend one simple question that he already knew the answer to. 

Richie had spent so long being the speck of dust in a picture that he forgot that he could be more.

No. He forgot that he _was_ more. He always had been. Even when he didn’t think he was—which was more often than he would’ve liked, but sometimes life just sucked like that. 

Richie was done with life sucking. And fears, and doubts, and that little voice that told him to fade away into the background and accept an unhappy life. 

_Fuck it all_, he thought, as he bit a huge chunk out of the ice cream cone. _I’m gonna propose to my best friend. And nothing’s gonna stop me_. 

“Hey, Orpheus,” Richie said, meeting the musician’s bright yellow gaze. “You ever been to the Griffith Observatory?”

“A few times,” he replied, raising an eyebrow. “Is that where it’s happening?”

Richie nodded, smiling so hard that it hurt a little. “8 PM. Friday.”

“That doesn’t give me a lot of time to rehearse—”

“You won’t have to think about it too hard, Mr. _You Can’t Rush Perfection_,” Richie said, patting him on the shoulder once more. “It’s in your wheelhouse. I promise.”

And with that, Richie explained exactly what he had in mind.


	3. If You Put Me to The Test

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we revisit the past before we head to the future...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a small section at the top of the next chapter but then it just... became it's own thing lol 
> 
> 1989!Eddie had more feelings than I initially planned. :'(
> 
> Also, please forgive me for any astronomy errors here!

**THEN: October 1989**

Warm summer nights still lingered around them, despite it being almost Halloween. 

The sun had started to set earlier. Each member of The Losers Club all knew when they needed to go home, but none of them could bring themselves to leave the Clubhouse that Ben had built for them. 

They all lingered there, as darkness crept around them. They were off in their own worlds, laughing, joking, and just… _existing_. Together. 

All of them noticed Eddie creak up the stairs, except for Richie, who was asleep in the hammock. Eddie turned to them, smiled, and gestured up at the sky.

They knew what he meant. Sometimes, he just liked to be alone for a bit and look up at the stars.

So, he padded up the stairs, found a small clearing close enough to the Clubhouse that he knew he wouldn’t get lost, and he made a nice, comfortable space to sit down. He closed his eyes for a moment as a cool breeze drifted around him. It was a small moment of calm. Of focus. 

Eddie’s brain was always racing with too many thoughts. Some of them were good, most of them were bad, and a lot of them were just… confusing. 

But when he looked up at the stars, all of that faded away. For once, it was quiet in his head. 

He didn’t need the silence often. But he was grateful for it when it was there. 

Eddie sat alone for long enough that he was finally able to clear his head. He thought about going back to his friends. And then, as if on cue, something rustled in the nearby trees. 

Eddie’s heart raced—and it didn’t slow once he saw what was making the commotion. 

Richie stepped through the trees, yawning. “I woke up and I had the whole hammock to myself. Not gonna lie, totally loved it, but also… it was kind of weird having all that room.”

Eddie was glad that it was dark and that, save for the moon and stars, there wasn’t much light around them, because he was blushing furiously. 

“Sorry,” Eddie said, and he genuinely meant it. “Didn’t mean to leave you alone. Just wanted to come out here for a bit. Look at the stars.”

“Oh,” Richie said. “I can… I can go back. If you wanna be on your own, that is.”

“No,” Eddie said, much too quickly. “Stay. Please.”

Richie smirked. “_Please_? Since when did you get so polite, Eddie Spaghetti?”

Eddie rolled his eyes. “If you’re gonna be an asshole about it, you can go.”

“No, no,” Richie said, holding his hands up. “I surrender. I’ll be nice.”

Eddie snorted. “For once.”

“What are you talking about? I’m always nice to you ‘cause you’re so cute cute cuuuuuuute.” Richie knelt down, pinching Eddie’s cheeks. 

Eddie swatted him away, but he wasn’t annoyed. He did it because he knew that he was still blushing, and he didn’t want Richie to feel how warm his face was. 

“Just sit down, dumbass,” Eddie said, patting the ground next to him. 

“You talk to your mother with your mouth?” Richie asked, his arm grazing Eddie’s as he sat. 

Eddie exhaled, the ghost of the touch lingering on his arm. He tried to ignore the confusing thoughts that were burning in his mind, but they were always so much louder when Richie was around. 

There were times when Eddie caught Richie looking at him the way Ben looked at Bev. Or Bill looked at Bev. Eddie wasn’t sure what was going on with that, but it seemed complicated and he was fine staying out of it. They’d figure it out, eventually. If they needed his help, he’d be there. But until then…

Well.

He had his own shit to figure out. 

Eddie wondered if he ever looked at Richie like that. He was sure he had. And he was sure he knew what it meant. 

But he wasn’t sure that he wanted to think about it. 

So, instead, he leaned back, making sure that his hand brushed Richie’s as he moved it behind him. 

Richie drew in a sharp breath. And then cleared his throat. “So. You, uh, you come here often?”

“I do,” Eddie replied. “But I don’t think the same can be said for you.” Eddie chuckled. “You never just stop and look at the stars, do you?”

“No,” Richie said, surprise coloring his words. “Not really. They’re just kind of there. Not doing anything interesting, you know?”

“But that’s _why_ they’re interesting,” Eddie said, ignoring how Richie shifted his hand just a little, so that they were close to touching. Again. “The light that we’re seeing—all the stars in the sky—they’re already dead, Rich. They existed and now they’re gone. But they’ve been around for as long as we have. Longer, even. People have looked up at that same sky for thousands of years and seen exactly what we’re looking at right now.”

Eddie paused for a moment, leaning into Richie a little and moving his hand closer, so that they were touching. Just a little. When Richie didn’t move, Eddie cleared his throat and kept talking. 

“It’s just… cool, I guess,” Eddie said, trying his best to sound casual, even though his heart was running an impressive marathon in his chest. “Those stars will outlast all of us. Even though we’re alive and they’re not. It’s a lot to think about. But it’s… comforting. In a weird way. Like… I don’t know. Life is really shitty, right? But there’s a consistency to it. Those stars have seen us go through so much shit. And they’re still there. Watching it over and over and over again. And they can’t do anything about all the awful, fucked up stuff that happens every day, but they see it. It just feels like it might all mean something—that there’s a point to all of this—living and dying over and over and over again, as long as someone can see it.”

Richie was silent for a long time. He shifted his weight a bit, so that Eddie could fully lean on him. 

Which he did. 

“Eds,” Richie said, his voice softer than it’d ever been. “You almost died this summer. We… we haven’t really talked about it.”

“We _all_ almost died,” Eddie replied, his voice tight. This wasn’t the way he wanted the conversation to go. He wanted to focus on the bigger picture—on how fucked up the universe was. Not how fucked up he was. “None of us have talked about it.”

“You know that’s not what I mean. I just…” Richie sighed. “I was so mad that day. When you broke your arm, I mean, and your mom took you away. I punched Bill—”

“I know,” Eddie said, cutting him off. He’d heard the story. He didn’t _like_ hearing the story. He never wanted his friends to fight, especially not on his account. 

Especially when it was Richie. He could’ve gotten hurt. And if he’d gotten hurt when Eddie hadn’t been around to help him—

“No, it’s not about that,” Richie said, sniffling. 

Eddie shifted so that he could see Richie’s face. He tried not to notice how a cold breeze quickly filled the space between them, as if it’d waiting for the right moment to push them apart.

Richie pulled his glasses off, wiping at his eyes. “I thought I was gonna lose you, Eds. Not just in the house, or when your mom took you away. But the whole time we were down there… down in the cistern… I was so worried that you wouldn’t make it out.”

Eddie knew that Richie hadn’t meant to hurt him, but the words still stung. “I kicked that fucking clown in the face,” Eddie snapped, a little too harshly. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, asshole.” He hadn’t meant to get so defensive, but he wasn’t expecting Richie to doubt him like that. His mom already treated him like he was a delicate flower, about to fall apart if the wind blew the wrong way. 

Somehow, it made it worse that it was coming from Richie, and not her. 

“_No_,” Richie said, shoving his glasses back on and placing his hand on top of Eddie’s. “I didn’t mean it like that. I know… I know you can handle yourself, Eds. You kicked the hell outta that clown. It was fucking impressive.” He paused for a moment, exhaled, and then said, “_You’re_ fucking impressive.”

Eddie wasn’t sure what to say to that. He wasn’t sure what to do about Richie’s hand, which was still on top of his, or the tears that were falling down his best friend’s face. Again. 

He wasn’t sure what to do about the fire burning in his chest, or how goddamn _unstoppable_ he felt when Richie said that he was impressive. 

It felt like he could’ve taken on the whole world in that moment, if he’d really wanted to. 

But the world didn’t matter to him. Only the person sitting next to him, still holding onto his hand. 

“I’m sorry,” Richie said, trying to take his glasses off with his free hand but fumbling a bit. 

Eddie reached out and gently pulled them off of his face. He set them down next to Richie and then, without really thinking, reached up and wiped a tear off of his cheek. Richie’s face burned at his touch. Eddie pulled his hand away quickly. 

Richie’s face wasn’t warm because he was blushing. It was just because he was worked up. 

Richie wasn’t having the same confusing feelings that Eddie was. He was just worried about Eddie. As a friend. Nothing more, nothing less. 

“Thanks,” Richie said, giving Eddie a small smile. “It’s just… um… what I meant to say is. I just… I had a bad feeling when we were down there. I thought I was gonna lose you.” Richie’s eyes met his. Eddie wanted to hand him his glasses back, but he was too afraid to move. There was something in the way he looked at him. 

But then Richie blinked, and it was gone. “I just don’t wanna lose you. That’s all I meant. It sounds kinda pathetic, I guess, but…umm…that’s all I’ve gotta say.” Richie pulled his hand away, trying to stand. “Anyway, enjoy your stars. I’ll just head back to the—”

“Wait.” Eddie reached out, grabbing his arm and pulling him back down next to him. He wrapped one arm around Richie’s shoulder, and pointed up at the sky with his free hand. “Do you know anything about constellations?”

“Fuck no. Do I look like a goddamn boy scout? And that doesn’t have anything to do with—”

“_Richie_,” Eddie said, firmly. “Just… listen. Okay? Just for a few minutes. _Please_.”

“Okay,” Richie said, leaning into him. “Sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize.” Eddie took a deep breath, shifting to support his weight before he continued. “Okay, so unlike _some people_ here, I was _actually_ paying attention in school. There are constellations everywhere in the sky, right? And they only exist because people looked at these old-ass, probably dead stars and thought they saw something in them. Patterns and shapes and things they thought were familiar. So, they connected all these dots in the sky and pretended it looked like a spoon. Or a belt. Or a fish.”

“People are weird.”

Eddie chuckled. “Yeah, Rich. People are weird. But… like… if _they_ can create shapes out of random dots, why can’t we?”

“You wanna make a constellation?”

“Yeah,” Eddie said, holding Richie a little tighter. “Okay, so that star up there? The one that’s like, almost right above us? That’s the North Star. A little to the left of that are two stars that I’ve been keeping track of for a while. Some of the other stars fade away depending on which season we’re in, but those two stars up there? They never appear without the other. They’re always together. So, I think… I think those two stars are us. It’s kind of a small constellation, but it works. If you want it to work, that is.”

“That’s us?” Richie asked. But he didn’t do it in a way that sounded like he was setting himself up for a joke. He was hesitant. Quiet.

Maybe a little hopeful. 

Or maybe that was Eddie reading too much into things. 

He pushed that thought away. He could doubt everything later. Dissect every part of their conversation and try to understand all of the complicated things he was feeling.

But, for now, it was just the two of them, staring up at the sky. 

And it was enough. 

“Yeah,” Eddie finally replied, not really sure what he was going to say, but letting the words come out anyway. “You said you were worried about losing me, but the truth is, I don’t think we could ever lose each other. Not really. But… well. In case we do… this constellation means there’ll always be some version of us where we’re together. All you’ve gotta do is find us. Up there.”

Richie wriggled around a little, scooping his glasses off of the ground. Eddie’s stomach twisted into a million knots. He wanted to sink into the ground and never come back.

He’d just promised Richie something and his best friend hadn’t even been able to see it. 

Richie sighed, leaning back into Eddie. “Where’d you say we were?”

“Over there, dumbass,” Eddie replied. 

“Which one am I? The left or the right?”

“Whichever one you wanna be, Rich.”

“Do I have to decide right now?”

Eddie laughed, shaking his head. “No. Think it over. Let me know when you figure it out.”

“Okay,” Richie replied. “Hey, Eds?”

“Yeah?”

“What you said about not losing each other… you really mean that?”

Eddie knew that he did. Most of him was ready to scream it out loud. But there were still things he was trying to understand. Reactions that people could have. And what might happen because of it. 

Richie had already punched Bill because Eddie had been taken away. Eddie was glad it hadn’t been worse.

There was nothing Eddie wanted more in the world than to know if Richie felt the same way. But he’d seen how much hate lived in the world. How people could die for things that weren’t bad, or evil, or their fault—but that didn’t stop the world from thinking that it was. 

Eddie Kaspbrak never wanted Richie Tozier to be in danger because of him.

Or _die_ because of him. 

And Eddie knew that if he had to make that choice, he’d pick the world in which Richie was alive.

Even if it meant they’d lose each other, somehow. 

But that wasn’t what he told Richie. 

Because if, for some impossible reason, he was right, and Richie _did_ feel the same way—well. He wanted one of them to have hope. 

He wanted one of them to think it was possible. 

Maybe not five years from now, or ten. But somewhere down the line, maybe when they were as old as the stars themselves—but hopefully sometime before ‘cause that seemed like a long-ass time—that they’d find their way back to each other. 

“Eds?”

Eddie ruffled Richie’s hair. “Yeah, I meant it. I think you’re stuck with me. If you wanna be.”

“Jury’s still out on that one, Eddie Spaghetti,” Richie said, humor finally making its way back into his voice. “I’ll get back to ya on that one.”

Eddie snorted. “As a great poet once said, ‘If you change your mind, I’m the first in line.’”

“Eds,” Richie said, with a dramatic gasp. “Did… did you just quote ABBA at me?”

“Ah…” Eddie’s blush returned. “Yeah. Guess I did. Seemed fitting—”

“Oh my gooooooooood,” Richie said, breaking free of Eddie’s grasp as he sprung up from the ground. “I’m not gonna tell the others _why_, but we’re about to have a giant ABBA sing-along and I’m gonna make sure we dedicate every song to _you_.”

“Richie, I swear if you do that I will fucking kill you.”

Richie winked at him. “You’ve gotta catch me first.” And with that, he took off running back toward the Clubhouse. 

Eddie barreled after him, cussing him out the whole way back. 

He knew he’d tipped his hand a little back there—the song choice was fucking obvious—but he wanted to see how Richie would react.

If he’d understand what Eddie was trying to say. 

Eddie wasn’t quite sure the point had made its way over to Richie. It was probably lying there, on the small patch of ground that was between them, waiting for Richie to pick it up. 

And maybe he never would.

Maybe Richie liked him back but was just… annoyingly oblivious. 

Maybe he was just as scared as Eddie was about what their feelings meant. And how there were certain things that they might not ever be able to have. 

Or, maybe Eddie’s doubts were right and there was nothing more than friendship between them. 

If that one was true, it’d fucking hurt. But he’d find a way to deal with it, if he had to. 

Because a world where he didn’t know Richie Trashmouth Tozier was a world he didn’t think he could bear to live in. 

It was gray, and dull, and awful. 

And it wasn’t filled with any impromptu ABBA sing-alongs. 

Unlike their Clubhouse, which already had the chorus to ‘Waterloo’ floating out of it by the time Eddie got back. 

Eddie groaned. He could hear all of his friends’ voices screaming out the lyrics to the song. 

And Richie's, of course, was the loudest.


End file.
